That is the question. It is February and love is in the air. And one of the things we love most in life is continuity. Especially when it comes to our work life. Change can be good, but sometimes we just like it when things stay the same.
When Microsoft went from Windows 7 to Windows 8, it was chaos at first sight. With some people just now getting acclimated to Windows 10, here comes more change.
Windows 11 has launched, much to the surprise of many people. But is there anything in this latest version of Windows that makes the leap from Windows 10 essential? The answer is no. That’s not to say Windows 11 should be avoided for personal use. However, here is why we recommend not updating to Windows 11 yet for your business.
Will Windows 11 work with all third-party software? No, not yet. With line of business applications finally catching up to Windows 10, the last thing you need is to upgrade to Windows 11 and lose functionality of your third-party business apps. Until all your business applications are compatible with Windows 11, stay with Windows 10.
Risk factor. Any major operating system upgrade comes with an element of risk, and while we have not seen reports of any serious Windows 11 upgrade flaws yet, there’s always the chance it will snag on your current system. If you have a stable Windows 10 device and none of the new features are desperately appealing, why take the risk? Windows 10 will be supported with security updates until late 2025, so there’s no rush to move now.
New interface. Be prepared for a learning curve. If you aren’t ready to learn an all-new Windows Operating System, stay on Windows 10. The new interface featuring Snap Layouts and the return of Widgets will give those who have just gotten the hang of Windows 10 a similar headache to when they left the comfort of Windows 7.
Free upgrade? Just like Windows 10 was a free upgrade to Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, Windows 11 will be a free upgrade to Windows 10. But there’s a catch. That upgrade only applies as long as your PC meets specific requirements. In other words, is your computer fast enough or new enough to keep up with Windows 11. Any computer with some age on it should be vetted by your IT staff to determine if it can handle the upgrade. Here is a rule of thumb: Just like one dog year is equal to seven human years , one computer year is equal to 25 human years. So a computer five years of age is equivalent to the oldest person alive.
What Empower is doing: Empower has been educating its clients on the pitfalls of Windows 11 as well as pushing an update to prevent computers from automatically updating to Windows 11. But even then, we recommend not manually upgrading or flirting with the notion of taking that free upgrade for your business network. We all like the latest and greatest new toys, but sometimes, love just has to be patient.
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